Showing a staggering 37% annual growth, artificial intelligence is an investment opportunity companies can’t ignore. Whether they want to adopt the technology for automation or better decision-making, the race to hire AI developers is in full swing.
Even so, the AI expert recruitment process is tough Following PwC, extreme talent scarcity and costly qualified candidates force 79% of companies to pump the brakes on their artificial intelligence initiatives. But fear not. Uvik is here to offer a solution to these challenges.
As a leading staff augmentation company, we understand that gathering a stellar AI development team requires a comprehensive approach. And we’re about to share our strategy on how to hire AI developers. Read on to learn about the best practices, possible pitfalls, and necessary steps for locating the artificial intelligence expertise you need.
Required Skill Set of AI Developers
Knowing the required skills of an AI developer will help you not only choose a qualified candidate but also ensure this employee suits your particular AI project. The components that make the artificial intelligence engineer’s skill set include AI and ML knowledge, programming languages, tech stack familiarity, and problem-solving skills.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Knowledge
Artificial intelligence is a complex and ever-growing domain. That’s why AI engineers must have a profound understanding of the following AI subsets:
- Deep learning. Inspired by how the human brain functions, developers create complex neural networks that can learn and make predictions. Knowledge of deep learning algorithms and frameworks like TensorFlow and PyTorch is desirable here.
- Computer vision. Mimicking human sight, AI developers working on image and video processing applications focus on helping machines understand and interpret visual data. For this, proficiency in computer vision algorithms and libraries like OpenCV is vital.
- Natural language processing (NLP). Enabling machines to understand human language, this AI domain tackles translation, sentiment analysis, chatbot, and other language-related tasks. AI experts must be well-versed in NLP techniques like named entity recognition or language modeling.
Programming Languages
An AI software developer must possess profound programming language knowledge. Here are several languages that are best for artificial intelligence projects:
- Python. It’s the de facto high-level programming language for artificial intelligence development. Its simplicity, extensive libraries, and compatibility with popular AI frameworks make it an indispensable tool in an AI developer’s arsenal.
- C/C++. While Python dominates AI development, proficiency in C/C++ is highly beneficial for performance-critical tasks and low-level programming.
- Java/Scala. These languages find their applications in big data and enterprise-grade AI systems.
- Swift/JavaScript. These are crucial for AI implementation on mobile platforms.
Additional Technology Stack Familiarity
Apart from the programming languages listed above, AI developers’ technical skills should extend to the following tools and technologies:
- Deep learning frameworks: PyTorch, TensorFlow, Apache MXNet, NVIDIA Caffe, Theano
- Libraries: OpenNN, OpenCV, Neuroph, NumPy
- Modules/Toolkits: NLTK, Core ML, Microsoft Cognitive Toolkit
- Algorithms: supervised/unsupervised learning, few-shot learning, metric learning, clustering
- Neural networks: CNN, RNN, Bayesian networks, autoregressive networks
Problem-Solving Skills
AI developers need problem-solving skills to tackle complex challenges and suggest innovative solutions. Finding patterns, analyzing data, and applying suitable algorithms are inseparable parts of their job, leading your business to desired outcomes.
How to Hire AI Developers in 5 Steps?
Having navigated the necessary skills, you probably wonder how to find an AI developer. Here are five straightforward stages to go through, explored one by one.
1. Identify the Skills Needed for Your Company
Before starting the recruitment process, it’s crucial to clearly understand the specific skills necessary for your company’s AI initiatives. Weight your project requirements and determine primary areas of AI development: NLP, computer vision, or deep learning. Having done that, you’ll be able to create a more targeted job description and hire AI developers with the most relevant skill set.
2. Learn How to Locate AI Developers
You have several options for finding and hiring AI developers:
- Internal developers. If your company has an HR department, they can take charge of sourcing and screening AI engineer candidates that will work in your office. The pros of this option include complete dedication and a better understanding of your business, yet it may be more expensive compared to other hiring methods.
- Freelance or contract developers. You may also opt for freelance AI engineers, locating them through such platforms as Upwork or Toptal. The primary advantage of this approach is cooperation flexibility. Yet, you risk encountering unreliable workers.
- Recruiting agencies. Collaborating with recruitment agencies focusing on AI technology can provide access to a broader talent pool. These vendors often have in-depth knowledge of AI and can help identify candidates who suit your requirements best.
3. Learn How to Draft a Job Description
A detailed job description is essential to hire AI engineers. Make sure you cover the following points:
- Brief description of your company
- Short overview of your AI project
- Necessary skills, experience, qualifications, and tech stack
- AI developer’s responsibilities
- Opportunities and benefits you offer
With a well-written job description, you’ll screen out irrelevant candidates and reach a more targeted applicant pool.
4. Review CVs and Check Past Projects
Once applications start pouring in, carefully review the candidates’ CVs, paying attention to their experience, educational background, and AI-related projects. Look for the required skillset of AI developers, including programming languages and frameworks relevant to your project. Consider requesting examples of developers’ work, such as GitHub repositories or portfolios, to evaluate their technical capabilities even further.
5. Write a Convincing Informative Message
When reaching out to potential candidates, write an informative outreach message. Given the talent scarcity, ensure your offer is convincing, as you wouldn’t want to miss out on qualified developers. Here’s how to craft a compelling one:
- Write a memorable and personalized subject line
- Highlight how your candidate’s skills and experience resonate with your project to personalize your message further
- Elaborate on your organization’s AI initiatives, company culture, and opportunities
- Compliment your candidate by emphasizing their strengths
- Send a follow-up email so you definitely reach your candidate
Best Practices to Hire AI Developers
On top of the steps we listed, we suggest you explore some hire AI developers best practices. Consider implementing the following recommendations:
- Conduct a technical assessment of shortlisted candidates by assigning a coding task, algorithmic problem-solving, or real-world challenges
- Prepare a list of interview questions beforehand to assess AI developers’ technical and soft skills and domain knowledge
- Establish a balanced remuneration program that considers the hiring AI developers pricing and aligns with the value they bring to your organization
- Assess candidates’ cultural fit with your company by asking relevant questions during interviews
- Evaluate how well candidates can work in a collaborative environment
- Prioritize candidates with hands-on experience in AI development
- Reach out to references provided by candidates to gain insights into their work ethic and overall performance in previous roles
- Consider hiring remote AI developers to leverage the broad talent pool benefits
Use these tips for hiring AI developers to increase your chances of locating the right employee for your company.
Possible Pitfalls of Recruiting AI Developers
While engaging AI developers can be transformative for businesses, it has its intricacies. Let’s explore some hiring artificial intelligence pitfalls so you get ready for them beforehand:
- Inexperienced AI software engineer service provider. When seeking a recruitment company to find an AI developer, be cautious of vendors lacking experience in attracting AI candidates. Partnering with trusted staff augmentation agencies specializing in AI talent acquisition is crucial.
- Poor recruitment services. These can result in an unsatisfactory hiring experience with delayed communication, lack of transparency, and insufficient screening processes. Ensure you thoroughly research and select reputable recruitment agencies with a proven track record of successful projects.
- Lack of guarantees. If you don’t discuss the vendor’s commitments in advance, you’ll risk facing additional challenges in the future. Guarantees ensure AI developers’ accountability and mitigate potential risks.
- Lack of clarity in job requirements. Vague job descriptions typically lead to a mismatch in candidate selection. State your requirements as clearly as possible with the tips provided.
- Excessive focus on academic qualifications. Too much emphasis on certifications and education alone may limit your AI developer pool. While academic degrees in relevant fields are indicators of theoretical knowledge, practical experience is equally important.
How to Identify the Perfect Candidate for AI Development?
When you’ve understood how to find an AI developer and shortlisted several candidates, how do you decide on the best fit for your company? Here are several questions to ensure you’ve located a good AI specialist:
- Does the candidate have the necessary soft and hard skills?
- Can this candidate work well with my team to achieve common goals?
- Does the candidate fit well with the culture of my team and our product/service?
- Is the candidate motivated and willing to contribute as much as possible to the development of my company?
- Does this candidate have a passion for programming and innovation? What are the candidate’s contributions to past projects?
By asking yourself these questions, you can get rid of any hire artificial intelligence challenges and potential problems in the future.
Uvik Experience
Offering staff augmentation services, Uvik has successfully supported over 100 clients worldwide in accessing top-tier specialists while mitigating the challenges of traditional hiring processes. The professional expertise of our trusted staff augmentation agency extends to:
- IT issues resolution
- MVP development
- Cloud migration
- Long-term project development
- IT infrastructure deployment
- Ongoing support and maintenance
Besides just that, we offer specialized AI/ML development services. Hire AI engineers with us, and get a wealth of experience in the following matters:
- NLP systems
- Chatbots
- Facial recognition systems
- Predictive software solutions
- Data visualization systems
- Image and audio processing tools
Implement any of your AI ideas by leveraging Uvik’s flexible cooperation approaches, whether full-time, part-time, or hourly options. Try outsourcing your project to our team and get reasonable salary rates and the best talent from Ukraine.
Are You Ready to Hire a Top AI Developer for Your Project?
Navigating talent scarcity may be daunting in your quest to hire AI developers. Yet, with the right approach in place, you can crush these obstacles and find the best fit for your AI project.
If you don’t want to go through all this hassle alone, just transfer the recruitment process to our experienced hands. With the robust candidate selection, almost a decade of experience, and niche expertise in AI and ML, Uvik can supplement your team with top-notch professionals. Just contact us and discuss your requirements right away.
